Beginnings
by Lady Shay
Summary: Alternate Reality. Usagi visits her friend Minako in Japan and ends up doing something she really shouldn't
1. Default Chapter Title

Beginnings, A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By Lady Shay  
  
I do not own Sailor Moon. I wish I did, but unless they start selling  
the rights for under $10, I will never own Sailor Moon! Please don't   
sue me!  
  
This is an alternate reality fanfic. Don't expect that the relationships  
between characters will be the same, and don't expect the same   
storyline... This is MY fanfic. *grin*  
  
-----------------  
Beginnings  
Chapter One  
-----------------  
  
Usagi stepped out of the station and started her short walk. Stopping in  
front of an apartment building only a couple of blocks down the street,   
Usagi looked up and grinned. 'This is going to be fun.' After quickly   
walking up two flights of stairs and halfway down a hall, Usagi grinned   
again as she knocked on a door while covering up the peephole.  
  
"Hai!" A voice shouted out from inside, "Hmmm... I can't see who is   
there..." The door was thrown open and a young woman with long blond hair   
stepped out. "Usagi!"  
  
Usagi smiled, "Ohayou, Minako-chan!"  
  
Minako stared blankly at the girl standing outside her apartment before   
stuttering, "But... well... I mean, I didn't expect you." Smiling, she   
grabbed Usagi's bag and walked back into the apartment. "Sorry it's a   
mess... but, what are you doing in Tokyo?! I haven't seen you since you   
were here as an exchange student... last time I heard from you, you were   
finishing up your teaching degree at a small university in Michigan."  
  
"Well, after I finished my year here, I decided to visit again after I   
graduated." Usagi smiled. "I missed you, Minako. You were my first   
friend in Japan."  
  
Minako grinned and threw a pillow at Usagi before falling gracelessly   
onto the couch, "None of that sappy stuff, Usa!" She made a face and   
motioned for Usagi to sit down. "Make yourself at home and tell me how   
long you're planning to stay."  
  
"Forever."  
  
"What?!" Minako jumped up from the couch and walked over to her friend.   
"Are you serious?"  
  
Usagi grinned, "Of course. I was offered a job teaching English at   
Juuban Junior High School, so I decided to visit you while I looked for a  
place to live."  
  
"Well..." Minako smiled slyly before continuing, "I'd let you stay with   
me, but I think I'd kill you after a while! It was hard enough when you   
were here last time, having to look at someone just as beautiful as   
myself every morning."  
  
Giggling, Usagi threw a pillow at Minako. "I see you still have that huge  
ego of yours, hummm?"  
  
"Ego?" Minako pretended to look offended before giggling herself. "It's   
not an ego if it's the truth, right?" Ducking another pillow, she   
grinned, "So... do you want to go shopping while we look at apartments?"  
  
***************  
  
The two women dragged themselves and eight shopping bags back into the   
apartment five hours later. Usagi dropped into a chair and sighed, "I   
have no idea why I go shopping with you, Minako... how am I going to get   
this stuff back to the States?"  
  
"Don't." Minako yawned. "Just leave it here. You're moving here in a   
couple of weeks anyway."  
  
Usagi caught herself yawning and glared over at Minako. "Stop! Yawns are  
contagious!" She giggled. "So, what are we doing tonight? I can't stay   
out too late, since I have to catch my flight tomorrow afternoon... isn't  
it a good thing we found that room for rent so quickly?"  
  
"Yeah, it's good..." Minako sat up straight and looked over at Usagi,   
"Wait a minute! You just got here today... you can't leave tomorrow!"  
  
Blushing, Usagi looked down and murmured, "I guess I forgot to tell   
you... I have to go back to start packing, and I visited my aunt in Kyoto  
before coming over to Tokyo."  
  
Minako sighed, "Well... ok, I guess. So we'll go out to a bar tonight   
and get you home early so that you can get your beauty sleep."  
  
Both girls giggled as they headed off to take a nap before dinner.  
  
***************  
  
Walking into the dimly lit bar a step behind Minako, Usagi faltered.   
Turning around, Minako grabbed one of Usagi's arms and pulled her   
forward, "What's wrong, Usa-chan? You look gorgeous!"  
  
Usagi smiled and walked more confidently into the bar. She paused as she  
reached the middle of the room, unconsciously letting the light glimmer   
on her short red silk dress. A thin silver chain sparkled around her   
neck, and her hair was curled and piled on top of her head, held by   
silver pins that all seemed to shine in the light of the candles that   
were placed on each table, "Minako-chan?"  
  
"Hummm... what Usa?" Minako spun to face Usagi, causing her dark green   
silk dress to flare out.  
  
"Everyone is looking at me..."  
  
Minako grinned, "All except the ones who are looking at me! We're the   
best looking women in here tonight."  
  
Grinning, Usagi sat down and asked a waitress for a margarita. Looking   
around after taking a sip of her drink, she noticed a handsome man   
walking toward her. His black hair fell over one side of his forehead   
and his eyes sparkled as he looked at her. "Ohayou... would you like to  
dance?" He asked.  
  
Usagi found herself held close in the stranger's embrace as they swayed   
to the slow, seductive song. His hands brushed across her back, making   
Usagi shiver. "What is your name, beautiful?" the stranger murmured.  
  
"Usagi." She whispered. "And yours?"  
  
"Mamoru."  
  
Usagi looked into his blue eyes and everything else disappeared.  
  
***************  
  
Usagi felt sunlight shining against her closed eyelids and, grumbling a   
little, stretched. Opening her eyes, she looked around the room with an   
increasing feeling of panic. Grabbing her clothing off of the floor, she  
dressed quickly and looked back at the sleeping man only once before   
running out the door.  
  
Usagi ran out of the apartment and found herself not too far from the   
Ueno station. Sighing, she ran quickly to the station and caught a train  
over to Minako's district. Finally running into Minako's building,   
Usagi let herself in and found that her friend was still asleep. Usagi   
pulled on a nightshirt and crawled into the guest room bed, falling   
asleep with a relieved thought, "Maybe she'll never know..."  
  
***************  
  
"Wake up, sleepy-head!"  
  
Usagi pulled the covers up over her head and grumbled, "Go away." A hand  
reached out and pulled the covers down, leaving Usagi looking up at the   
cheerful face of Minako. Sighing, Usagi stretched and crawled out of   
bed. "Wow... I had the weirdest dream last night..."  
  
Minako grinned, "That's what you get for staying out all night drinking,   
Usa! What did you do anyway... head out to another bar? I looked for   
you when I was ready to leave, but you were already gone. When you   
weren't here at the apartment, I just figured that you had gone somewhere  
with that cute guy you were dancing with."  
  
Usagi turned pale and spoke slowly, "Yeah... we went out to another   
bar... with, umm, some other friends of his..."  
  
Grinning, Minako gave Usagi a quick hug, "Good for you. Did you get his   
number? What is his name?"  
  
"I don't... remember..."  
  
***************  
  
A couple of hours later, Usagi waved to Minako before heading down the   
terminal toward her plane, "Ja ne! See you soon!"  
  
"Ja ne, Usa-chan!"  
  
Usagi boarded the plane and sat down, looking out at Tokyo and trying   
desperately to think of anything except what she didn't remember   
happening...  
  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
  
-----------  
Chapter Two  
-----------  
  
Usagi stepped out of the gate terminal into the busy airport, clutching   
her bag with both hands as she looked around. Sighing, she sat down on a  
bench and pushed her long, blond hair back behind her ears.  
  
"Tsukino Usagi?"  
  
Looking up with tired-looking blue eyes, the woman nodded, "Hai. I'm   
Usagi."  
  
"Konnichiwa. My name is Yuuichirou. I work at the Hikawa Shrine."  
  
"Konnichiwa." Usagi stood up and stretched, looking over at Yuuichirou.   
His messy, shoulder-length hair made it hard to see his features, but he  
looked nice. "You work at the shrine? Do you have the same room and   
board deal that I have?"  
  
Yuuichirou grinned and pushed his hair back from his face {'Wow... he's   
really cute when you can see his face...' thought Usagi.} Yuuichirou   
took Usagi's bag and started toward the exit. "Well... no. I do a lot   
more work than you'll be expected to do. Rei will explain more when we   
get home, but I do most of the maintenance work while you'll be helping   
Rei with the general running of the shrine. Oh, and before I forget,   
your trunks showed up."  
  
Usagi shrugged, "Good... oh, and the rest sounds fine with me. It's   
going to be nice not to have to worry about paying actual rent." She   
grinned. "How long have you been working at the shrine? Is Rei your   
sister? I haven't actually met her yet, just talked over the phone."  
  
Laughing, Yuuichirou turned and winked at Usagi. "I think you'll do fine   
with Rei... you both like to talk! Anyway, I've been at the shrine for   
about eight years now, and Rei isn't my sister. We're not related at   
all... yet."  
  
Usagi raised an eyebrow at Yuuichirou as they stopped to wait for traffic   
to clear. "Not yet?"  
  
Yuuichirou blushed, "I plan to propose to Rei-chan soon."  
  
"Do you think she'll say 'Yes'?"  
  
Grinning happily, Yuuichirou grabbed Usagi's hand and dragged her across   
the street. He dropped her hand and winked at her again. "I know she   
will! We've been dating for about four years now, but I wanted to wait   
until Rei became a full Priestess so that I wouldn't interfere with her   
studies... and then her grandfather died last year, so I gave us time to   
mourn." Yuuichirou rubbed his eyes and smiled slightly. "I miss him. He  
and Rei were my only family."  
  
Usagi smiled, "That sounds wonderful, though I'm sorry for your loss."   
She stopped suddenly as Yuuichirou pulled her into a shrine gateway,   
"We're here?"  
  
"Yuuichirou-kun? Usagi?" A raven-haired woman ran out of the shrine,   
her hair streaming out behind her. "Good, you're here! Yuuichirou-kun,  
the furnace blew-out... I need you to re-light it." As Yuuichirou   
started to walk into the house with a sigh, the woman grabbed his arms   
and stood on her toes to kiss him. "I'll see you later." As Yuuichirou   
bounced happily inside, the woman turned to Usagi with a laugh. "Men...  
you just have to know how to treat them. Anyway, I'm Hino Rei. Welcome  
to your new home."  
  
Usagi laughed. "I think I'm going to like it here!"  
  
Grinning, Rei walked inside the main house, "I hope you do. You'll   
mainly be helping me: selling charms and talismans during our busy   
moments and on Saturdays. Yuuichirou cleans everything except the   
bedrooms and the kitchen, so you'll help out with those areas... except   
Yuuichirou's room." Rei scowled. "He's a pig! That man can keep the   
shrine spotless, but you can't even see his bedroom floor. I don't   
understand."  
  
Turning to Rei, Usagi grinned, "Men. Can't live with them, and there's   
no re-sale value, right?" She looked around the room. "Anything else I   
should know right now? Does anyone else live here?"  
  
Rei smiled and opened a door, "Just us three, though I have an older   
brother who visits." She motioned Usagi into the room. "This is yours.   
You probably have jet lag, so I'll let you rest. Dinner is in three   
hours, but you can help yourself anytime! I hope you like it here."  
  
Usagi closed the door and lay down on the bed. Closing her eyes, she had  
one last thought before falling asleep... 'Home.'  
  
***************  
  
Usagi settled in quickly. School started, and even though Usagi was   
nervous, everything went fine. The girls wanted to hear everything about  
living in America and the boys just stared at Usagi. Usagi helped out   
at the temple almost every workday for about an hour selling charms, and   
worked for four hours on Saturday. Minako came to visit almost every day  
for the first two weeks, and everyone seemed happy.  
  
In the beginning of the third week, Usagi came home to find a red car   
parked in front. 'Strange,' she thought. 'I haven't seen this car   
before.' Shrugging, she walked into the building and saw Rei sitting down  
next to a dark-haired man.  
  
"Usagi-chan!" Rei waved. "You have to meet my brother. Chiba Mamoru,   
this is Tsukino Usagi."  
  
Usagi stared at Mamoru, and Mamoru stared back. 'He looks familiar,'   
thought Usagi. She stepped back when Mamoru reached to take her hand.  
  
"We've met before," whispered Mamoru.  
  
Usagi blinked. "Really? You look familiar... but I don't remember  
where from."  
  
Mamoru stepped back and sat down again with a crest-fallen expression.  
  
Rei laughed, "Mamoru doesn't like to think that anyone could forget his   
pretty face!"  
  
Standing up, Mamoru walked toward the door. "Ja ne, Rei-chan. Ja ne...   
Usagi."  
  
Rei looked at Usagi, who shrugged. "I don't remember..."  
  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
  
-------------  
Chapter Three  
-------------  
  
Usagi ran quickly into the bathroom and threw up. Leaning against a   
wall, she tried to slow down her breathing as her stomach continued to   
churn.  
  
"Usagi-chan? Are you ok?" Rei peeked her head into the bathroom.   
"You've been throwing up a lot, recently. Would you like to go to the   
Doctor's office?"  
  
Usagi nodded her head slowly.  
  
"Good, because I already made you an appointment." Rei helped Usagi up   
off of the floor, "Let's go."  
  
***************  
  
Rei sat nervously in the waiting room. 'I really like Usagi-chan,' she   
thought, 'and I hope that nothing is really wrong.' She picked up a   
magazine and tried reading it for a few moments, until she noticed that   
it was upside-down, 'Darn it, I want to know...'  
  
The door opened and Usagi walked out, her face pale white, "Rei-chan?"  
  
Rei stood up quickly and walked over to Usagi, "What's wrong,   
Usagi-chan?"  
  
"I'm... pregnant."  
  
***************  
  
Two silent women arrived at the shrine. As they reached the front door,   
Yuuichirou stepped out and gave Usagi a hug, "Is everything ok,   
Usagi-chan?"  
  
Usagi pushed past Yuuichirou and walked slowly to the bedroom, closing   
the door behind her. As they heard the door lock, Rei motioned for   
Yuuichirou to follow her further away from the house. Sitting down on   
the steps, Rei sighed. "Usagi's pregnant."  
  
Yuuichirou's eyes opened wide and he whispered in a shocked voice, "What?  
Who's the father?"  
  
Rei buried her head in her hands. "I don't know... some guy from America,  
I suppose. Usagi must have already been pregnant when she moved here."  
  
Frowning, Yuuichirou put one arm around Rei and stroked her hair, "Did   
she tell you anything?"  
  
Rei shook her head and curled up against Yuuichirou, "No... nothing   
except that she didn't want the two of us to tell anyone."  
  
***************  
  
Usagi curled up in ball on her bed, crying. 'Why? Why did this happen?'   
She sat up and brushed her tears away. 'Ok...' she thought. 'This had   
to have happened from that one night... but I don't remember anything!'  
  
Usagi got up and stood, looking out the window. Slowly, she thought back  
to that alcohol-clouded memory and started to put the pieces together.   
Going out to the bar with Minako... meeting that man - 'What was his   
name?' - dancing... drinking... his kiss... walking to his apartment...   
Usagi closed her eyes and remembered his gentle hands, his passionate   
kiss... she tried to remember... she could see his deep blue eyes, the   
dark hair falling over his forehead, his... Her eyes snapped open,   
"Mamoru."  
  
***************  
  
Rei looked up with startled eyes as Usagi opened her door and ran quickly  
out of her bedroom, "Usagi-chan?"  
  
Usagi sat down at the table in front of Rei and, reaching forward,   
grabbed both of Rei's hands. "Rei-chan... you promised that you and   
Yuuichirou wouldn't tell anyone..."  
  
Rei nodded.  
  
Sighing with relief, Usagi let go of Rei's hands and got up. "I promise   
that I'll tell you everything... someday. I have to go now! I'll be at   
Minako's if anyone calls."  
  
***************  
  
"So, you're telling me that you went with some stranger to his apartment   
and slept with him... so that's why you didn't come home until morning!"  
  
Usagi slumped down in her chair, "Minako-chan! What am I going to do?   
I'm pregnant!"  
  
"Calm down!" Minako hugged Usagi. "Let's think about this... did you   
ever remember what his name is?"  
  
Usagi nodded and mumbled something.  
  
"Usa-chan?"  
  
Usagi dropped her head on her hands, "Mamoru."  
  
"Mamoru?" Minako raised an eyebrow, "Isn't Mamoru the name of Rei's   
brother?"  
  
Usagi nodded and started to cry.  
  
"Usa-chan..." Minako whispered. "Does he know? Do Rei and Yuuichirou   
know who the father is?"  
  
Usagi looked up, her eyes bright with tears, "No... and I'm not going to   
tell them."  
  
"Usa-chan! Don't you think you should tell Mamoru?" Minako begged.  
  
"No. I don't even know him..."  
  
"That didn't stop you from sleeping with him!"  
  
"I was drunk!"  
  
"So? It's his child, too."  
  
Usagi got up and headed to the door. She paused and turned,   
"Minako-chan... you're my best friend. I need your help, but I'm just   
not ready to tell Mamoru. Please understand."  
  
"I'll try, Usa."  
  
Usagi walked out the door and headed home, taking the "scenic" route   
though the big shopping district. Stopping to stare at a crib though a   
store window, Usagi never noticed when someone walked up behind her.  
  
"Dreaming of children, Usa-ko?"  
  
Usagi turned around slowly and stared in shock at Mamoru. "Konbanwa,   
Mamoru-san." She turned back to face the window.  
  
"You didn't answer my question, Usa-ko." Mamoru said, "Do you like   
children?"  
  
"Yes," whispered Usagi. She closed her eyes. "Do you?"  
  
Mamoru rested a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "I've always dreamed of having  
a nice family: a beautiful wife and a couple of children. One night, I   
thought I had met that woman... we talked and kissed and loved... but   
then she disappeared. When I found her, she didn't remember me."  
  
"I was drunk." Usagi whispered.  
  
"You do remember!" Mamoru turned Usagi toward him, but Usagi pulled away.  
  
"I didn't. I do now, but..."  
  
"Usa-ko... wait!"  
  
Usagi ran blindly down the street. When she stopped, she found herself   
in front of a movie theater. Hiding in the dark theater, Usagi felt   
tears slide down her cheeks, "...but I'm pregnant by someone I know   
almost nothing about..."  
  
----------------------------------  
End of Chapter Three  
Continued in Chapter Four  
  
Do you like it?   
Email me please!  
shaychan@thesimpsons.com  
----------------------------------  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Beginnings, A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By Lady Shay  
  
I do not own Sailor Moon. I wish I did, but I'm not talented or rich   
enough. Please don't sue me!  
  
This is an alternate reality fanfic. Don't expect that the relationships  
between characters will be the same, and don't expect the same   
storyline... This is MY fanfic. *grin*  
  
-------------------  
Beginnings  
Chapter Four  
-------------------  
  
As the next few months crept by, Usagi started to retreat into herself -   
becoming more and more silent. A couple of times, Rei had thought that   
Usagi was going to tell her something, but Usagi walked away without   
actually saying anything.  
  
"Yuuichirou, we have to do something! It's like Usagi's not really   
there: she's going through the motions of live, but isn't really   
living..." Rei threw her arms around Yuuichirou's neck and cried into   
his shoulder.  
  
"Shhh, Rei..." Yuuichirou held Rei and stroked her hair, "Shhh... it'll   
all be ok. We just need to figure out something to interest her. Why   
don't you call Minako and see if she has any ideas?"  
  
Rei pulled back and brushed the tears from her face, "Thanks, love. You   
always know what to do."  
  
Yuuichirou grinned, "Well, I wouldn't say that... but we work well   
together." He took Rei's hand in his and admired the sparkle of her   
ring, "We always will."  
  
Rei smiled as she reached for the phone. Dialing a number, she mouthed   
'I love you' as she waiting for the phone to be answered. "Ohayou,   
Minako-chan... Well, I was wondering if you could help distract Usagi.   
She's been really depressed lately... Oh? Ok, I think that will be   
fun... Humm? Oh... Ja ne."  
  
As Rei hung up the phone, Yuuichirou raised an eyebrow at her, "So? What  
did Minako think?"  
  
Rei smiled, "She thought that maybe Usagi would like to go to the beach   
while she can still fit into a swimsuit! After all, it is hot, and that   
may be one reason why Usagi doesn't feel well."  
  
Yuuichirou shrugged, "So, are you going to ask Usagi is she wants to come  
along?"  
  
Grinning slyly, Rei shook her head. "No. I'm going to tell her that   
we're taking her to the beach as a 'Thank You' for all the extra work   
she's done... she won't dare refuse. It would be rude."  
  
***************  
  
The next Saturday, everyone gathered in front of the shrine. Usagi   
actually had a smile on her face as she talked with Minako and Rei.  
  
"Ohayou, minna!"  
  
Everyone turned around to see Mamoru climbing the steps to the shrine.   
"Mamoru!" cried Rei, "Ani-sama, what are you doing here?"  
  
Mamoru grinned, "Minako-chan invited me to go to the beach with all of   
you... you don't mind, do you?"  
  
Grinning, Rei shook her head, "Of course we don't mind! Well, if we're  
all set now, let's go!"  
  
As they reached the cars parked down on the street, Minako looked around   
with a grin. "Oops... we don't have room for five people in Rei's car...  
not with all of the beach stuff. Usa, why don't you ride with Mamoru?   
It'll give you a chance to get to know him better."  
  
Usagi glared at Minako, but couldn't think of an excuse. Sighing, she   
murmured, "Ok... if I have to."  
  
Mamoru laughed, "I don't bite!" he blushed, "Well, not much. Don't be   
scared!"  
  
Usagi smiled slightly as she got into the passenger seat of Mamoru's cute  
red sports car. "Nice car."  
  
"Thanks, Usagi." Mamoru grinned as he buckled himself in.  
  
The two of them rode in silence until they were on the highway. Finally,  
Mamoru sneaked a look over at Usagi and spoke, "Usa-ko... I don't know   
why you hate me..."  
  
"I don't hate you!" Usagi blurted out.  
  
"But you don't ever want to talk to me or be around me..." Mamoru raised   
an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
Usagi looked down at her hands, "I don't know... I'm just uncomfortable."  
  
"Because of that night?"  
  
Blushing, Usagi nodded.  
  
"Ok... so we'll forget that night ever happened."  
  
Usagi looked up at Mamoru with a startled expression.  
  
Mamoru sneaked another look at Usagi. "I'm serious. I like you, and I'd  
like to be your friend. If that means forgetting the past... I'm   
willing."  
  
***************  
  
Rei's car reached the beach shortly after Mamoru's. As Minako climbed   
out of the backseat, she saw Usagi and Mamoru sitting on the sand,   
talking and laughing.  
  
"Usa-chan?"  
  
"Ohayou, Minako-chan!" Usagi got up and walked over to meet her.  
  
"Usagi!" Minako whispered, "What happened? Did you tell him?"  
  
Usagi shook her head quickly, "No. Mamoru said he wanted to forget the   
past and start over as friends."  
  
Minako grabbed Usagi's arm and dragged her away from the group. "How are  
you going to forget the past... forget about your child?"  
  
Usagi pulled away and headed back. "Let me worry about that."  
  
***************  
  
After that day, Mamoru started to hang around the shrine more... always   
finding an excuse to visit or to help Rei. Rei and Yuuichirou teased   
Usagi about it, commenting on the fact that Mamoru had never visited this  
much before Usagi came to live there. Usagi blushed and replied that   
she and Mamoru were just friends.  
  
***************  
  
"Rei-chan!"  
  
"What, Usagi-chan? What's wrong?" Rei came hurrying into Usagi's   
bedroom to find the girl sitting on the bed crying.  
  
"Rei-chan... none of my clothes fit!" Usagi sobbed. "I can't wear any of  
my pants and my dresses are tight!"  
  
Rei looked thoughtfully down at Usagi, "Well, you're what? Five months   
pregnant now... you should be showing." Smiling, Rei looked around and   
found a dress that would fit. "Here... put this on and we'll go shopping  
for some maternity clothes today."  
  
Usagi brushed her tears away and smiled, "Thanks, Rei-chan!"  
  
Usagi got dressed and tugged the dress down over her growing stomach.   
Frowning, she tied a sweater around her waist and finally smiled as she  
looked in the mirror. 'Good,' she thought, 'You can barely tell.' As   
Usagi walked downstairs, she smiled to see Minako there.  
  
"Ohayou, Usa-chan! Rei told me that you were having a clothing   
emergency, so I came right over!"  
  
Usagi looked over at Rei and rolled her eyes, "Why am I frightened now?"  
  
"Usa-chan!" Minako pouted. "Is that any way to talk to a friend?"  
  
"Yes." Usagi grinned and walked outside, stopping suddenly when she saw   
Mamoru walking toward her.  
  
"Ohayou! What are we doing today?" He grinned at the girls.  
  
"We're going shopping, Mamoru." Rei smiled mischievously. "And you get  
to carry the bags!"  
  
Mamoru pretended to groan as he was dragged away, "Do I have to?"  
  
***************  
  
Mamoru looked over at Usagi, who was being pulled quickly through the   
store by Minako. He smiled as they stopped at one aisle and Minako held  
up a dress with roses printed on it. 'Usa-ko is beautiful,' he thought.  
Mamoru turned to his sister, who was leaning against a wall and smiling  
at the other women, "Rei-chan?"  
  
Rei turned with an amused look on her face, "Humm? What, Mamoru?"  
  
Mamoru smiled at Rei, "This is the fifth store we've been dragged into,   
but no one except Usagi has bought anything... why?"  
  
Rei grinned, "Usagi-chan needed some new clothes... she was complaining   
this morning that nothing fit her anymore!"  
  
Mamoru frowned and looked over at Usagi, "What? She looks beautiful to   
me... has she gained weight or something?"  
  
Rei laughed, "Or something..." she looked at her brother with concern,   
"Usagi-chan is pregnant... didn't you know?"  
  
Mamoru dropped all of the shopping bags and turned pale, whispering,   
"Pregnant? Who is the father?"  
  
Rei shrugged, "Oh, some guy in America, I suppose..."  
  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
  
------------  
Chapter Five  
------------  
  
Usagi smiled as she took the shopping bags from Mamoru. "Arigatou,   
minna-san! I can't wait to try on all of my new clothes!"  
  
Mamoru grabbed her hand as Usagi started to turn away. "Usa-ko... can I   
talk to you?"  
  
Usagi turned a puzzled face to him, "Of course, Mamoru-san." Following   
him to another room, Usagi handed her bags to Minako and shrugged her   
shoulders. Entering the room, Usagi sat down on one of the cushions on   
the floor and watched Mamoru pace back and forth in front of her.   
"Mamoru-san, what's wrong?"  
  
Mamoru stopped pacing and faced Usagi. "Rei told me that you are   
pregnant."  
  
Usagi looked straight at Mamoru, "Yes... I didn't want to tell you at   
first, but then I did... but I never got a chance to."  
  
"Dammit, Usagi! Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you..."  
  
Usagi's eyes flashed, "This child is my responsibility! If I hadn't been  
so foolish..."  
  
Mamoru looked at her with hurt eyes, "Just tell me, Usa-ko... do you love  
the baby's father?"  
  
Usagi blushed and looked at the floor. "I didn't want to... but as my   
baby grew, so did my love..."  
  
Usagi looked up to see Mamoru walking slowly backward to the door, his   
face white and drawn with pain, "Goodbye, Usagi."  
  
"Mamoru... Mamo-chan, wait!" Usagi collapsed on the floor crying,   
"Mamo-chan..."  
  
Rei rushed into the room to see Usagi crying her heart out, "Usagi-chan!   
What is it? We heard what Mamoru said... if you love the father, then   
why are you so upset that Mamoru left?"  
  
Usagi hugged her knees to her chest and stared at the floor. "Who does   
Mamoru think the baby's father is?"  
  
Rei blinked her eyes and looked at Usagi with concern, "I told him that I  
thought it was someone from America..." She stopped when Usagi shook her  
head, "Well... who is it?"  
  
Looking up with tear-filled eyes, Usagi whispered, "Mamoru."  
  
***************  
  
Rei hung up the phone as she got another busy signal. "He must have   
taken his phone off the hook, and he wasn't home when I drove over   
there... what am I supposed to do?"  
  
Minako shook her head and slumped forward onto the table, "We should have  
told you... but Usagi didn't want you to know. She thought you wouldn't  
like her if you knew, and she didn't want your pity."  
  
Rei rubbed tears from her eyes and shook her head, "I didn't care who the  
father was... I would still like Usagi no matter what! I just wish I   
hadn't told Mamoru."  
  
"She loves him," whispered Minako.  
  
"Who loves who?" Yuuichirou walked into the room loaded down with   
groceries. Looking at the sad girls, he quickly set everything down in   
the kitchen, removed his wet coat, and sat down next to Rei. "What did I  
miss this time?"  
  
"Usagi loves Mamoru," whispered Minako.  
  
Yuuichirou looked at her and shook his head, "What is the problem with   
that?"  
  
Rei sobbed into his shoulder, "Mamoru thinks that some American guy got   
Usagi pregnant..."  
  
Putting his arm around Rei, Yuuichirou looked over at Minako for an   
explanation, "Isn't that what happened?"  
  
"No." Minako looked up and rubbed her eyes, "The baby's father is   
Mamoru."  
  
Yuuichirou closed his eyes and shook his head, "What? I thought you just  
said that Usagi is pregnant by Mamoru."  
  
Minako nodded.  
  
"And Mamoru thinks that the father is someone else? Wait a minute, when   
did Usagi and Mamoru sleep together?"  
  
Minako sighed, "Usagi visited me two weeks before she moved here... we   
went out to a bar and she met Mamoru. I didn't know what had happened   
until Usagi found out she was pregnant."  
  
Yuuichirou frowned, "How is Usagi taking this?" He got up and walked   
over to her room, knocking once before stepping inside. A moment later,  
he stepped back outside of the room and looked at Rei, "Usagi's gone."  
  
"What?!" Rei shouted. She looked outside at the pouring rain, "Where   
would she have gone?"  
  
***************  
  
Mamoru walked down the darkened street toward his apartment, heedless of  
the rain falling. His friend Motoki was no help... kept telling him to  
find someone else! But he didn't want someone else. He wanted Usagi,   
but Usagi loved someone else.  
  
Mamoru reached his apartment and almost tripped over someone huddled on   
the ground next to the doorway. Kneeling down to see who it was, Mamoru   
fell back in shock, "Usa-ko..."  
  
Usagi lifted up her head to see Mamoru kneeling in front of her. She   
tried to get up, but for some reason she couldn't get her legs to move   
anymore. As she fell over in a faint, she whispered, "Mamo-chan..."  
  
Mamoru caught Usagi as she fell forward, afraid that she would be hurt.   
Feeling how hot her skin was in the cold rain, he became more afraid.   
Mamoru lifted Usagi up in his arms and ran for his car. After buckling   
her in carefully, he drove as quickly as he could to the hospital.   
Pulling up in front of the emergency room, he took Usagi in his arms   
again and carried her inside.  
  
"What can I do to help you?" A brown-haired nurse stood inside the door,  
her nametag reading, 'Kino Makoto.'  
  
"Please... she's pregnant and sick... she's burning up with fever."   
Mamoru said in a frantic voice. "Please..."  
  
"How long has she been like this?" The nurse led Mamoru into an empty   
room down the hall.  
  
"I don't know." Mamoru held Usagi's hand after setting her down on the  
bed. "She was sitting in the rain outside of my apartment..."  
  
The nurse led Mamoru back to the desk in the main waiting room, "Dr.   
Mizuno is on her way. Right now, can you answer a few questions? Is   
there anyone else we should call?"  
  
  
Rei and Yuuichirou showed up about ten minutes later to help answer   
questions. They walked in just in time to hear the nurse ask, "And who  
is the father of the baby?"  
  
"I don't know!" Mamoru ran his fingers through his hair, "Some   
American..."  
  
Rei interrupted, "No." She laid her right hand on Mamoru's shoulder and   
shook her head, "There was a misunderstanding." Looking at the nurse,   
Rei answered the question. "Chiba Mamoru is the father."  
  
Mamoru looked at Rei with startled eyes, "What... me?"  
  
Rei nodded, her eyes sad. "I'm sorry. Usagi told me after you left.   
She didn't want anyone to know until she figured out her own feelings...   
but she loves you, Mamoru."  
  
Mamoru looked at the nurse, finally allowing himself to cry, "Please...   
may I see her?"  
  
The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry, but Dr. Mizuno is with her now.   
She'll let us know."  
  
The trio sat down for the long wait. A couple of hours later, Rei got up  
to call Minako, "I think she needs to be here also."  
  
Minako showed up soon after with some food. "You need to eat, Mamoru.   
You won't do her any good if you get sick!"  
  
Finally, a woman with short, blue hair stepped into the room. "Chiba   
Mamoru?"  
  
Mamoru stood up, "Dr. Mizuno?"  
  
The doctor nodded, "I'm Mizuno Ami."  
  
"How is Usagi?" Rei stood up and squeezed Mamoru's hand in   
encouragement.  
  
"Tsukino Usagi is fine. We managed to bring the fever down and she   
didn't sustain any permanent damage." The doctor paused, frowning.  
  
"And the baby?" Mamoru whispered, tears running down his face.  
  
"She lost the baby... the fever was just too high. We almost lost   
Usagi."  
  
Rei sat down and buried her head in her hands, crying. Yuuichirou hugged  
Rei as tears rolled down his cheeks, and Minako just started in shock.  
  
"May I see her?" Mamoru whispered again as he wiped tears away.   
Following Dr. Mizuno to Usagi's room, he started crying again when he saw   
how pale she was. He sat down next to her and took her hand, never   
noticing when the doctor left, closing the door behind her. "Usa-ko."  
  
Usagi's eyes fluttered open and she looked at Mamoru with pain-filled   
eyes, "Mamo-chan?"  
  
"I'm here, Usa-ko." He squeezed her hand, "I'm sorry."  
  
Usagi smiled sadly, "Don't be sorry. It's my fault for not telling   
you... and now, my baby. Our baby..." She laid her free hand on her   
stomach, tears flowing down her cheeks.  
  
"Oh no, Usa-ko... I'm so sorry." Mamoru reached over and gently brushed   
her tears away. "You'll have more babies, I promise."  
  
Usagi laughed weakly and leaned her face against his hand, "You promise?   
And what do you mean by that?"  
  
Mamoru reached over and took her other hand. Looking into her eyes, he   
whispered, "I love you, Tsukino Usagi... my Usa-ko. I think I loved you   
from the start. Nothing ever hurt as much as when I thought I had lost   
you. When I saw you at Rei's place, I thought I could never be happier.   
I love you, and could only be complete if you returned my love. Usa-ko,  
will you marry me?"  
  
Usagi smiled as a single tear slid down her face, "Yes. I love you,   
Mamo-chan."  
  
Mamoru bent down and kissed his Usa-ko, his lips brushing sweetly against  
hers. As he pulled back and looked into her eyes, he could see their   
future together. Today was just the beginning.  
  
  
--------------------  
The End  
--------------------  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
